Gaydon Parish Magazine April 2021

April Church Services

Easter Sunday 4th April 11am
a socially distanced group service will be held at All Saints Church Burton Dassett with allocated seats. Limited seating is available; contact Reverend Nicki to book your seat.
Owing to the pandemic, the churches remain closed until May and all services are on Zoom. Go to www.dassettmagnagroup.com and click the link half way down the page.

Every Sunday - at 11am Sunday Service on Zoom
4th and 18th - 6pm Sunday Songs of Praise

Every Week - Midweek Services on Zoom
      9.30am       Monday to Friday         Morning Prayer
      6.00pm       Monday to Friday         Evening Prayer
The church zoom services can be accessed by going to 
      www.dassettmagnagroup.com

Roman Catholic Church of St Francis, Kineton

We welcome everyone who is able to attend and our friendly stewards ensure that all the safety protocols are kept so that everyone is safe. For further information please go to our website at www.stfrancis-kineton.co.uk
Easter Service Times
Maundy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper 7pm (no watching, washing of feet, or altar of repose);
Good Friday: 3pm (no veneration of the Cross);
First Mass of Easter: Holy Saturday 7pm (no fire, candles, extended readings);
Easter Sunday: 11am.
Sunday Mass 11am.

Memorial Book in April 2021

Below appear the names of former Gaydon residents as they are recorded in the St Giles' Church Memorial Book. The relevant pages are displayed on the anniversary of their deaths when the church
is open.
In Memoriam
Mary Neal 2 April 1991
Muriel Phillips 2 April 1998
Roland 'Badger' Phillips 3 April 1993
Gordon Welch 6 April 2000
Gabriella 'Gay' Talbot 7 April 2014
Ileana 'Queenie' Hayes 17 April 2008
Kathleen Welch 24 April 2004
Sybil Worrall 29 April 1995

Parish Council News

Lorries Reversing
We have been told about some HGVs overnighting on the Old Warwick Road but more disconcerting is the fact they occasionally reverse onto the roundabout to move off. This has been reported to WCC, as it is their remit; however, when driving please be careful around this area.
Neighbourhood Plan
Our Neighbourhood Plan is progressing slowly with further movement on our Housing Needs Survey. A Planner will attend the next Council meeting with their thoughts on its provision.
Memorial Headstones
It has yet to go to Council but it is probable that we will be carrying out our 5-yearly risk assessment on safety of memorials in the cemetery sometime in May. More on this in next month's magazine.
Council Meetings
Under the current legislation from central Government, it is probable our meetings will be returning to the Village Hall in June. However, under strict Covid guidelines, and whereas everyone has a right to attend, we will have to wear masks and maintain the 2m rule; hence, there will be a limit to numbers. Hope is ever present that some form of normality will slowly return this year.
Next Meeting will be on Tuesday 6th April on Zoom at 7.30pm.

Local Elections 2021

On Thursday 6 May residents in Stratford-on-Avon District will go to the polls. The Village Hall will be open for the election and will be adhering to Covid-19 safety rules. Please wear a mask when you come to vote, bring your own pen, use the hand-sanitiser provided and follow social distancing guidance.
Register to vote by 19 April at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote if you are not already on the electoral register. You can apply for postal or proxy votes at www.stratford.gov.uk/postal-or-proxy-voting before 20th/25th April respectively. For further information go to www.stratford.gov.uk/elections or ring 01789 260208.

A Walk in the Woods

The name 'Oakley Wood' brings to mind sad occasions in impersonal chapels but I recently discovered that there is more to it than meets the eye.
Oakley Wood is a large area of woodlands managed by Warwick District Council and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust for public recreation. Parts are being thinned out to provide light for new trees to grow, thus protecting the woodland for future generations and providing valuable wildlife habitat for over two hundred different species.
Wide, winding trails are signposted to guide walkers through the trees; concentrate on the arrows, or lost in thought or conversation, you can lose all sense of direction, too!
I did quite a nice number of 'steps' in the hour I spent there last week and so virtue was rewarded too. There was birdsong all around and the strong green leaves of bluebells were sprouting up underfoot, promising a fine display in a few weeks' time. I'll certainly be returning to see how they are getting on.
www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20331/countryside/220/oakley_wood

The Phone Box Library

Thank you to everyone who uses the community library - such a boon especially during lockdown. A polite reminder: clean books, nothing else; and if it’s full, no piling up thank you.
If you would like to help, there is a rota to keep it clean and tidy, also changing the books around occasionally. email jomstrike@outlook.com

The Vicar writes:

I’ve just seen a beautiful rainbow and I’m reminded of the story of Noah’s Ark when God flooded the earth to destroy the corruption that filled the world. But when the waters receded God promised never again to judge the earth with a flood giving us the rainbow as the sign of this promise. As the rainbow fades and I pick up my newspaper to read the government roadmap for lifting the lockdown, I wonder what the headline for Noah’s flood would be today. Perhaps “God Destroys World in Flood.” or “God Gives Humans a Second Chance.”
Smiling, I reflect on God’s rainbow promise, and thinking of the past year I’m reminded that nowhere in the Bible does God say, “I will never send a storm again". Nowhere does God promise that life will be free of storms, trials, troubles and difficulties. Most rainbows appear only after the storm has come and gone. God never promises a life free from pain and suffering. As the song says, he ‘never promised us a rose garden.’ Or if he did, the roses have thorns. That’s life - there is sun, laughter and joy but there are also floods, storms, wars, famines and Coronavirus.
Some have been saying this pandemic is a judgment from God. But I dispute that, as do many others. In the flood story, three times God says, “Never again!”. I believe that God meant never again would he send a worldwide judgment, including the sinful and the innocent. The spread of the virus throughout the world is a result of our modern time, not a judgment from God. We are all connected as never before.
That is why it’s a pandemic.
Some people say ‘God never gives us more than we can bear.’ I think it’s more a case of ‘God will walk through it all with us and at times when it overwhelms us, he will carry us.’ The human race can’t bear another worldwide flood but there will still be many storms along the way, tears aplenty, and much sadness. We’re living through one such storm now. But if we look up, we will see God’s rainbows, the sign and token of his love, here and there along the way, reminding us that the storms of life don’t mean that things are out of control.
I believe that God uses every situation to encourage us to review our life, our situation and gives us a second chance, a chance to change. What difference will the pandemic and all we’ve been through make to us as individuals and to the world at large? There have been so many good things amongst the bad. Will we choose to change or go back to it all as it was before.
So what’s the sensational media headline to our flood story, the pandemic - “Pandemic Destroys World” or “World has a Second Chance”? Both are correct but I think I prefer the latter because that’s what we all need. And for all who labour under heavy burdens and deep personal sorrows, look up and you will see the rainbow, the sign that God has not forgotten you.
Rev. Nicki Chatterton

Nature Notes for March

The village is still experiencing cold temperatures in spite of March being nearly over. Today is in fact the Spring Equinox but strong winds and grey skies predominate still, with the odd sunny interval that encourages early Bumble bees to emerge and, also, the odd Small Tortoiseshell butterfly. Green buds and a magnificent show of White Blackthorn blossom along the road to Banbury. Primroses are in full bloom in many places, too, but few pollinators will venture out until we have a rise in temperature.
The local Ravens continue to harass Buzzard and Kites over my garden - a mixture of loud croaks and mewing making you look skywards. It’s a hard time for birds of prey. Kestrels in particular scour the freezing fields endlessly. I often prepare the odd pheasant or rabbit and place the entrails in a remote spot visible from the air. These are invariably picked up by a sharp-eyed raptor and much appreciated: a sort of carnivore version of my garden bird table!
The interest in Nature, and birdwatching in particular, has grown considerably during the ‘lockdown’. The radio and press often have extensive coverage. There is, however, a great pleasure in listening to one of our great authors on Radio 4 Extra this week: I refer to ‘Rogue Male’ by Geoffrey Household. He lived quite near here, on the outskirts of Banbury, in later life. The readings continue next week on R4E and although a thriller, they show a meticulous observation of the countryside, hedgerows and villages in pre-war Britain. He was keen on gardening and hunting, so birds and plants are ever-present. But do not let me spoil it for you (all episodes will be on Listen again)! The other good listens are the very early morning nature broadcasts by Bret Westwood; Farming Today and Tweet of the Day which can be enjoyed without getting up! Today, even ‘Ramblings’, introduced by Clare Balding, has a sound engineer recording her walk and noticing the song of a Chaffinch and the croak of a Raven.
I am sure that in a few weeks we may see more positive signs of spring, though I doubt we will see another year like this. I am perhaps sceptical about halting a spread of viruses. Last March I was returning from Africa and I’m convinced that ‘Wet markets’, particularly in huge cities like Lagos and in Indonesia/Myanmar, will continue to be a threat whilst wild animals are traded in such squalid conditions, where risk of transfer is ever-present. Intensive Factory farming methods are not blameless either. There will be a need to restrict the junk food and the useless litter connected to it right away too, so let's hope action will be taken whilst we all contemplate and endure this crisis.
Bernard Price

Gaydon Parish Council April Newsletter

On my return from work the other day it could be easily said I didn’t look very well. A fact confirmed later by staring into the kitchen sink whilst my stomach heaved. A lie-down on the sofa was definitely on the cards. Ever part of the family, my two dogs decided to join me. The smaller one thought it was a good idea to lie down on me and occasionally jump on my stomach. The big one (thank goodness he didn’t copy the small one) decided that as I was static, he would bring me his ball and we could play catch in the living room. My illness didn’t last very long, luckily, as I was back at work the following day.
Our pets are as much part of our families as our children and very similar to them. As such they give us unconditional love and expect little in return: food, shelter, a hug, a walk and a chance sometimes to run free. Like our children, our pets give us the responsibility not only to do all of the above, but also to ensure that other people are not disturbed or frightened, or faced with a pile of smelly stuff that really shouldn’t be there.
We as Councillors want everyone to have the ability to enjoy our open spaces, whether that be in the meadow or in the cemetery. We want you to be able to walk your pet and occasionally, if they behave, have an exhilarating run - and you too, if you feel up to it. We also want those who enjoy those spaces to be free to walk there, not to be frightened by a pet dashing up to say hello, or worse still, to come across excrement that you have not collected and deposited in an appropriate receptacle.
Recently, when walking round the cemetery, I have come across these unwelcome piles and others have also reported this matter to us. To be fair, they are few and not a regular occurrence. However, once is once too much and we need all owners to be responsible owners. I hope this is not deliberate ignorance. I hope this is a moment's inattention, lost in thought, on the mobile, admiring the view, just not concentrating where your best friend is making a deposit! There are receptacles at both locations: bag and use them!! God Bless! John Davies, Chair

Cemetery Closed 2 April

On another note, just to remind you, the cemetery will be closed to the public (that’s all of you) on the 2nd April for the day. More news p3.

Neighbourhood Watch

Please be aware of a silver estate car with a ladder on the roof that has been driving through Gaydon containing three or four men in their late teens to mid-twenties. The driver, a well spoken and very well-presented man, will knock on a resident's door and politely say that he is working "down the road" or "next door" and comment that he happened to notice that there is a serious problem with your "roof tiles" or "your chimney" etc. that he and his "lads" can happily fix for a very low price. We strongly recommend that you do not engage with him at all. Close your door immediately otherwise you may, at best, find yourself with shoddy or uncompleted work at a price far higher than that quoted. IM

Easter and the Environment

I expect your are thinking what has Easter got to do with our environment; a lot actually.
Palm oil is a major factor in deforestation and to grow the palm trees 200,000 acres of the rainforest are burnt every day. Orangutans are killed in the process, leaving babies without their mother. Birds, butterflies and even ants are all being destroyed.
As palm oil is cheap it is used as an ingredient in many foods and shampoos. Back to Easter, it is also in chocolate, so please think carefully before you buy your eggs and do read the labels; maybe buy a gift instead - it would be a gift to the planet. After all, it's our children’s planet too!
Thank you so much for reading my article and please have a look at the world wildlife website:- “8 Things to know about palm oil WWF“. (The baby orangutans are often rescued and taken to centres, so there are some nice people out there in Indonesia and the Amazon.) SN

Flag

The Flag on the Green was raised on 3 March to wish Judith Davidson a Happy Birthday from Mark; and on the 20th for Wendy McCaughan's birthday, with love from Jonathan and Ziggy.
The flag was flown on the 30th for Agnes's 12th birthday and on the 31st for Bella the Dog's 16th. Many Happy Returns to you all! The flag flew on the 8th to celebrate Commonwealth Day.
If you have something to celebrate, contact Siobhan Hannan on 07780 678582 and she will raise the Flag for you. The cost is a donation of £5 to Church funds.

April Allotment News

After a beautiful weekend at the end of February, with sunny skies, drying ground and lawnmowers buzzing away, it felt like the end of winter weather. We were thereafter treated to gloomy conditions, with that strong wind being the most damaging! It caused havoc on allotments up and down the country as things like poly tunnels, greenhouses and light structures were blown away or damaged.
March would have been a hectic time on the plots, but the ground is still too wet as I write. Instead, more focus has been on indoor planting and deciding which yummy tomatoes to get underway. With an improved weather forecast for the end of March, many allotmenteers and gardeners alike will take advantage and be busy tidying plots or borders and getting ready for planting. Daniella has deployed a creative and attractive way of decorating the borders, by crafting woven edgings from surplus twigs and sticks. We might all have to erect borders if the local rabbits take a fancy to our hard-earned produce.
As many of us start outdoor planting, it is not just the pests to watch out for! The deadliest killer is a hard frost. Many a plant has succumbed to the appearance of those icy temperatures. We are far away from our average last frost date, so be prepared to cover particularly vulnerable seedlings.
By request, here is a quick guide to building Raised Beds:
1. Assemble a Square/Rectangular Frame and use any material you like such as: Wattle, Logs, Timber or Concrete Blocks etc. (Top Tip, make the Bed width a maximum of 4ft).
2. Loosen up the soil with a fork or broad fork (if placed on soil).
3. Line the bottom of your frame with newspaper or cardboard and wet it thoroughly.
4. Add soil, alternating with generous layers of compost, kitchen scraps, grass and leaves until the bed is filled to your desired height.
April Jobs:
Harvest first Asparagus of the year;
Sow seeds outdoors if soil is warm and workable (remember to protect against frost);
Plant Second early and Maincrop potatoes;
Earth up first early potatoes;
Prune cherry and plum trees once leaf buds have opened. Andrew Smith

A Postman's Tales

There are still a few copies for sale at £5 each. Proceeds will be for Millennium Group funds. Please contact the Editor if you would like a copy.